One Old, One New - Jesse Q. Sutanto

One Old, One New features two books – one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today I am featuring two books by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by Berkley on March 26, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Ficton, Mystery

Goodreads

What should have been a family celebration of Chinese New Year descends into chaos when longtime foes crash the party in this hilariously entertaining novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

After an ultra-romantic honeymoon across Europe, Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have landed in Jakarta to spend Chinese New Year with her entire extended family. Chinese New Year, already the biggest celebration of the Lunar calendar, gets even more festive when a former beau of Second Aunt’s shows up at the Chan residence bearing extravagant gifts—he’s determined to rekindle his romance with Second Aunt and the gifts are his way of announcing his courtship.

His grand gesture goes awry however, when it’s discovered that not all the gifts were meant for Second Aunt and the Chans—one particular gift was intended for a business rival to cement their alliance and included by accident. Of course the Aunties agree that it’s only right to return the gift—after all, anyone would forgive an honest mistake, right? But what should have been a simple retrieval turns disastrous and suddenly Meddy and the Aunties are helpless pawns in a decades-long war between Jakarta’s most powerful business factions. The fighting turns personal, however, when Nathan and the Aunties are endangered and it’s up to Meddy to come up with a plan to save them all. Determined to rescue her loved ones, Meddy embarks on an impossible mission—but with the Aunties by her side, nothing is truly impossible…

The Aunties are back, and as expected, they brought their special brand of chaotic warmth. This installment finds Meddy and the Aunties in Jakarta to celebrate Chinese New Year. A man from the Aunties' past gets them implicated in a situation with some people who may or may not be law-abiding business people. When Nathan is taken captive, Meddy and the Aunties must set things right or face the consequences.

I know, that last line sounds terribly ominous, but this was an Aunties book, so I knew hilarity would ensue. I always find it difficult to put a label on an Aunties book. They are sort of cozy capers with some suspense/criminal/mystery element. Here, Meddy had to recover the lost title deed while she tried to convince herself that these perfectly law-abiding business people were not really criminals. Of course Meddy and her family had a plan, and of course, it went awry, but that's what I love and expect from this clan.

As always, the story was fast paced and packed with shenanigans and mayhem. Nathan was his adorable, precious self while Meddy was simultaneously exasperated and appreciative of her zany family as the Aunties wrecked their own special brand of havoc.

Though I am sad to say goodbye to these characters, I was happy to have this last adventure with them. It was a rollicking good time filled with humor, merriment, and lots of heart.

*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by Delacorte Press on September 27, 2022
Age/Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

An outrageous, laugh-out-loud YA rom-com about a girl who's whisked from LA to her mother's native Indonesia to get back to her roots and finds herself fake-dating the son of one of the wealthiest families there, from the author of Dial A for Aunties.

After Sharlot Citra's mother catches her in a compromising position, she finds herself whisked away from LA to her mother's native Indonesia. It'll be exactly what they both need. Or so her mother thinks.

When George Clooney Tanuwijaya's father (who is obsessed with American celebrities) fears he no longer understands how to get through to his son, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

To ensure that their children find the right kind of romantic partner, Sharlot's mother and George's father do what any good parent would do: they strike up a conversation online, pretending to be their children.

When the kids find out about their parents' actions, they're horrified. Not even a trip to one of the most romantic places on earth could possibly make Sharlot and George fall for each other. But as the layers peel back and the person they thought they knew from online is revealed, the truth becomes more complicated. As unlikely as it may seem, did their parents manage to find their true match after all?

After being caught in a compromising position by her mother, Sharlot was banished to Indonesia where she embarked on many new experiences resulting in her learning a lot about her culture, her mother, and herself.

I am a big fan of Sutanto's adult books, so I thought I would give her young adult books a try. I was happy to find that this book was brimming with Sutanto's signature humor and filled with warm and wacky characters who would give the Aunties a run for their money.

The catfishing plot was rather hilarious, and the way Sharlot and George tried to maintain the stories their parents told resulted in some great comedic moments. But the best was when George and Sharlot started seeing the true version of the other person. It was sweet when they started warming to each other and began to really SEE each other.

The romance was charming, and it was wrapped in a whole lot of fun. As the fake dating plot took center stage, George and Sharlot not only went on dates, but they also traveled together. Of course there were lots of family members along for the excursions which kept me amused, but it was also a wonderful way to showcase the beauty of Jakarta and Bali, as well as Indonesian culture. The sights, the sounds, the food! I felt fully immersed in all the wonderful things these islands had to offer, and Sutanto's love of it all shined making it a very special part of this story.

Both Sharlot and George had aspects of their life that they struggled with, and it was wonderful to see them make progress in these areas. Sharlot and her mother had a very strained relationship, but this trip allowed Sharlot to see her mother as more human. It allowed them to connect in ways they never had before when her mother kept her past under wraps.

George always questioned his place in the family business, and he always felt the absence of his mother. He gained a lot of clarity about what he wanted in his future while also making some inroads with his father.

Well, That Was Unexpected was a coming of age story punctuated with first love and packed with family and humor which amused me while also tugging at my heart strings.

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